Needle dispenser



Jap. 11, 1927. 1,613,622 T. OMALLEY NEEDLE DISPENSER Original Filed Maron 24. 1922 Patented Jan. 11, 1927.

"nir-1an statins, "P Artur iorflric.

THOMAS OMALLEY, OF NEW `YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO VICTOR TALKING lfIACI-IINE i COMPANY, A CORPORATION OFNEWG'ERSEY.

NEEDLE DISPENSER.

Application filed4 March 24,1'922j5eria1 The invention relates to devices for presenting single articles from'a supply placed in a container, and the object of the invention is to provide a simple, easily operated device of this character by which a single talking-machine needle may be automatically4 V rangement by which the above objects are attained, to be hereinafter described and claimed.

rlhe accompanying drawings Vform Aa part of this specification and show the invention as it has been carried out in practice.

Figure l is a side elevation of the dispenser.

Figure 2 is a plan view. n

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section, taken on the line 3-3 in Figure 2, and partly in elevation.

Figure l is a corresponding horizontal section, taken on the line 1-4 in Figure 3, and partly in plan view.

Figure 5 is an elevation showing certain details.

Figure 6 is a face view of an arm serving with the parts shown in the preceding figure.

Figure 7 is a vertical section through certain portions on a greatly exaggerated scale, showing an important step in the operation of insuring the delivery of one needle alone.

Similar reference numerals indicate the same parts in alltheligures.

The container is shown as having a cylindrical body 8, mounted on feet`9 with its axial line horizontal and ata right angle to the feet, and is supported by the latter onany convenient horizontally disposed portion of the talking machine or other surface to which it is secured by the screws 15. The back of the container may be permanently closed by the plate 10, the front is areinovable disk 11, and the internal width between the back and disk is -somewhat greater than the length of a talking-machine needle l2. An aperture 13 in the body at thetop permits a supply of needles to be introduced and is closed by the removable cover 14.

No. 546,381. `Renewed`'Fe1oruary '7, 1925.

Extending axially lthrough the body is a shaft 16 rotatably engaged at one end by a screw 17 inserted through the back 10 and exterior washer 18, and the shaft is inclosed by a 'sleeve 19 secured to the shaft by aV pin 2O extending transversely through the sleeve and shaft near the front end ofthe latter.

In the body 8 at one side anda-little above a line drawn horizontally through the axis of the shaft 1G is a transverse opening orslot 2l for theegress of the needles, havingthelower edge inclined downwardlyand outwardly and leading to an open-ended trough 22 secured on the exteriorl lof the body by a screw 23.

Within the body is a curved lining piece or strip 211 matching the interior ofthe body and extending from a line little above `the lower edge of the slot 21 to a. line opposite to and higher th-an such slot, and is Aheld in place by the screw 23 at one end and a short boltA 25 at the other.

On the "sleeve 19 at its extreme endsfare arms 26 carrying between their outer ends a curved slide 27 concentric to the wall of the container-and lining strip and fitting closely thereto.V rllhe slide is arranged to oscillate with-in the body '8 by partial rotations of theshaft 16, and is stopped in one direction by Contact of its edge 28 with the nut of the bolt 25.

lThe disk 11 is held in place by a screw 29 extending axially therethrough and through `a thumb-nut 30 into the forward end of the shaft 16 and supports the latter, and is so proportioned as to length as to engagethetlnnnb-nuusecure the disk in place, and to contact with the pin 20 and prevent the accidental withdrawal of the latter. -By turning the thumb-nut and shaft the slide 27 will be oscillated along the cylindrical inner surface ofthe lining strip 241 as will be understood.

Assuming a supply of needles to have been introducedy into theV container `promiscuously, a `few preliminary partial oscillations of the slide "will arrange the lower portion ofthe mass in lines parallel with the axis ofthe container, andby moving the slidev to the rightlin'fFigure 3, until 'stopped bythebolt 25,"a number of needles lying upon the lining strip in'the bottom' ofthe contain'erwill be in position to becarried forward and upward bythe delivery'edge of thefslide'o'n the rehelz turn movement of the latter, thus carrying one or more needles toward the slot 2l to be delivered upon the trough 22.

lt is important that one single needle only be thus presented at each delivery movement ofthe slide; this is insured by the shape of the delivery edge of the slide and its relation to the lower edge of the slot and-the Vlocation of snch edge of the slot Vrelatively to a horizontal plane passing through t ie axial line of theV shaft. By reference to Figure 7 of the drawings the proper arrangement of these factors will be observed. rlhe dotted lines show the advancing edge of the slide carrying upward two needles, one resting upon such edge and the other upon such lower needle; as the upward movement continues the inwardly curved upper portion of the container wall forces the uppermost needle inwardly until just before reaching the delivery edge of the slot it is compelled to roll by gravity from the lowermost needle and fall back into the mass while the lower needle, now alone, is supported by the rounded portion 3l of the delivery edge of the slide and the inner face of the wall until itreaches the slot and rolls down the inclined portion 32 of such edge which then coincides approximately with the lower-edge of the slot and permits the needle to roll into the'trough 22.

'lhe lining strip 2st permits the location of the lower elfective edge of the slot to be very nicely defined relatively to the delivery edge of the slide, and to the axial plane, so that the gravital action above described will take place as desired. It is found in practice that the operation is practically positive; the oscillation of the slide first to the right and then to the left as above set forth, results almost infallibly in the deposition of a single needle on the trough.

1r-lor economy in manufacture and assembling, it is preferred to malte and mount the sleeve 19, arms 26 and slide 2T independently, and loosely but positively engaged with each other when assembled. l-lach end of the sleeve is out away to form an offset as at 33, see Figures 5 and (3, and the arms 26 are similarly slotted as at Bal to match the shaft lil and also engage the sleeve, and the lower ends of the arms are provided with tongues 35 litting into correspmiding notches in the end of the slide li). As these parts ht nicely within the container and are conlined by the disk ll their relative positions are positively maintained and they may be quickly assembled with little labor or expense. y

The inner faces of the arms are beveled at the sides as at 37 to provide close litting edges adapted to sweep across the inner faces of the back 10 and disk ll without oifering open joints or protruding angles likely to be engaged by the needles and thus interfere with the oscillations of the slide, and the disk l1 is preferably rebated circumferentially as at 38 to insure a close joint.

lvlodilications may be made in the size and proportions of the parts, and the mode of construction and assembling may be varied. The lining strip 24C may be omitted in some cases.

Although the invention is described and shown as adapted for service in supplying talking-machine needles one by one, it will be understood that it will serve for the delivery of other articles to which it may be adapted.

l claim :e

l. A cylindrical container, a shaft arlranged axially and horizontally therein, a

sleeve inclosing said shaft, arms keyed to the ends of said sleeve and having tongues on the ends thereof, a slide having means to receive said. tongues and varranged to sweep the interior of said container by the oscillation of said shaft, said container having a slot above the axis of said shaft, and a trough on the exterior of said container below said slot adapted to receive a needle carried upwardly to said slot by the edge of said slide.

2. A cylindrical container, a disk for closing the open front thereof, a shaft arranged axially of 4said container and extending interiorly from the back of said container to said disk, means for connecting one end of said shaft rotatably to said back, a sleeve on said shaft, arms loosely mountedV on said shaft adjacent said back and disk and engaged by said sleeve, a slide loosely engaged at its ends by said arms, a pin extending through said sleeve and shaft, a thumbnut exterior to said diss, and a screw e15- tending through said nut and disk and into said shaft, holding said nut to said shaft, holding said disk to said container, and engaging said pin. n.

A cylindrical container, a disk for closing the open front thereof, a shaft arranged axially and horizontally of said container and exwnding interiorly from the back of said container to said disk, means for connecting one end of said shaft rotatably to said back, a slot in said container above the hori'fiontal axial plane ofv said shaft, a concentrically arranged lining strip in said container extending to and forming the lower edge of such slot, a sleeve ou said shaft, arms loosely mounted on said shaft and loosely engaged hy said sleeve adjacent saidliack and disk, tongues on the outer endsof said arms, a slioe haring notches in its ends loosely rcceiving said tongues, a pin extending through said sleeve and shaft, a -thumb-nut exterior to said disk, and a screw extending through said nut and disk and into said shaft, holding said disk to said container IDG lill

and engaging said pin, said nut serving to oscillate said shaft and move said slide upwardly upon said strip to deliver to said slot a needle carried by the advancing edge of said slide.

et. In a device of the character set forth, a container having a cylindrical wall, a slide arranged to oscillate in said container concentrically to such wall and having' the inner marginal portion of its edge rounded and the outer marginal portion inclined outwardly and downwardly therefrom, a continually open slot in such wall above a horizontal plane extending' through the axis of said slide, said edge adapt-ed to engage and carry a needle to such slot and deliver it therethrough and to co-operate with said wall and the lower edge of said slot to dislodge gravitationally a second needle carried upon said first mentioned needle and prevent the escape of said second needle through such slot.

5. In a device for dispensing small substantially cylindrical articles the combination of a stationary casing having a concave cylindrical bottom surface on which said articles normally lie, said surface terminating in a shoulder parallel to and at about the level of the axis of said cylindrical surface, and a lifter having a forward lifting edge parallel to said axis and disposed close to said surface, the width of said edge being substantially equal to the diameter of one of said articles, said lifter being mounted to oscillate on an axis coincident with the axis of said cylindrical surface and through an arc extending' from said shoulder downwardly past the lowest portion of said cylindrical surface and on to a point well above said lowest portion of said cylindrical surface whereby when said lifter is swung toward said shoulder it may move before it a plurality of said articles supported on said cylindrical surface and as said lifting edge approaches said shoulder and before it is in alinement with said shoulder all of the articles advanced by said edge, except the one resting directly thereon, fall by gravity to the rear of said edge, and when said edge is in alinement with said shoulder, the single article then remaining on said edge rolls by gravity from said edge over said shoulder out of said device, and whereby when said lifter is swung in the opposite direction said lifting edge moves under and past any single article remaining' in said device.

G. In a device for dispensing small substantially cylindrical articles, the combination with a stationary casing having a concave cylindrical bottom surface on which said articles normally lie, said surface terminating in a shoulder parallel to and substantially at the level of the axis of said cylindrical surface, of a lifter having a forward lifting edge parallel `to said axis and disposed close to said surface7 the width of said edge being substantially equal to the diameter of one of said articles, said lifter being mounted to oscillate on an axis'coincident with the axis of said cylindrical surface and through an arc extending from said .shoulder downwardly past the lower portion of said cylindrical surface and on to a point well above said lowest portion 0f said cylindrical surface, and mea-ns to stop the upward rearward movement of said lifter when said edge is well above said lowest portion of said cylindrical surface, whereby when said lifter is advanced toward said shoulder it may move before it a plurality of said articles supported on said cylindrical surface, vand as said lifting edge approaches said shoulder and before it is in alinement with said shoulder, all of the articles yadvanced by said edge, except the one resting directly thereon, fall by gravity to the rear of said edge and when said edge is in alinement with said shoulder the single article then remaining thereon rolls by gravity from said edge over said shoulder out of said device, and whereby when said lifter is swung to thelimitof its movement in the opposite direction, said lifting edge moves under and past any single article remaining in said device.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I allix my signature. i

THOMAS OMALLEYr Cir 

